I spent a couple of weeks in continental europe this year and there is no doubt that honda has a very long way to go over there. Aside from a couple CRV's and a few Accords Hondas penetration of the French, German and Swiss market is very low. Things were a little better in my trip to Ireland a couple of years ago. I think the diesel engine is a definite step in the right direction. The introduction of the legend (RL) is also a good step, but I think the real hit would by the introduction of the TL. If you are going to introduce a higher content vehicle it would be great it it were one that outperforms most of the German iron. Surprisingly, for the first time, in Honda history, the performance leaders are US models, the TL and the new civic Si. We are greatful for that, but it would be smart to sell them over there too! The previos TL (JDM inspire) was a dud, now the JDM inspire is the US accord?? what gives???? The TL is basicly an accord but it looks 100 times better and performs better too!
I love hondas to death but sometimes their marketing decisions are pretty bone headed ie, took years to come up with a diesel, sold undistinguished cars in europe for years. Its good that they are upping the ante but some of the decisions are still pretty strange to me. Honda has been producing cars that would compete very well with the best of europe for a long time, they just never sold them there!!!!!

I agree Honda should offer both the US civic and the Euro civic to both markets. I think Honda would sell a lot of the Euro civics here and vice versa. On top of that Honda should sell the JDM version of the civic in the states. They always keep the best for themselves I guess. No type R here I rest my case.

I recently read a few copies of AutoBild from Germany, and they had an analysis of sales in the first six months of 2005. The best selling Honda Jazz comes in at number 50 with 8689 vehicles sold (an increase of 32.6% from 2004). The Civic (no. 80 with 4564) and CR-V (no. 99 with 3170) followed. Honda does indeed have a long way to go until they challenge the likes of even Toyota and Mazda.

HammerM wrote:I recently read a few copies of AutoBild from Germany, and they had an analysis of sales in the first six months of 2005. The best selling Honda Jazz comes in at number 50 with 8689 vehicles sold (an increase of 32.6% from 2004). The Civic (no. 80 with 4564) and CR-V (no. 99 with 3170) followed. Honda does indeed have a long way to go until they challenge the likes of even Toyota and Mazda.

Actually, as usual Toyota is in another league, since they spent so much money in the promotion of their cars... But they are also having a hard time, and despite all their efforts, having products designed for Europe and built in Europe, they are struggling to improve their 5% market share (for Toyota+Lexus), which is behind any other European/American brand.
Honda is right now doing pretty well given the fact that they hardly spend any money in Europe. But of course they are quite far from the Toy's.

And for your information, this year they had overtaken Mazda. Anyway, you posted the numbers of sales in Germany, which may be the most difficult market (together with France) in Europe. It is quite clear that in those countries the competition is enormous, since local manufacturers are so strong. But even though their total sales figures are not comparable to European manufacturers, they are nontheless improving fast.

Of course, their better market remains the UK (probably due to the fact that there are no British manufacturers and that they have their factory over there), in which many models are best-sellers in their respective categories.

Btw, the CR-V is still one of the best selling small SUV's in Europe (if not the best selling one since the introduction of the i-CTDI unit), it's just that this type of cars are not so popular in our continent when compared with the US.

I live in Switzerland and would love to buy an Acura TL or MDX
but at the moment there is no car with 6 cylinder available.
I think to bring the Legend over here is a bad decision because with a price of 68'000U$ it will be too expensive and the price gap between a fully equiped Euro Accord (TSX) which costs about 36'000U$ is too big.

Honda has nothing in store for people who prefer a car with a 6 cyl. engine but without all the gizmo's the Legend offers and that's from my point of view a big mistake.

Unfortunately, Honda has very strange marketing decisions indeed. In the Netherlands and Germany, most 'sporty' models of Honda are not available, despite great interest of many, many people. The new Integra, like the RSX (available in Japan and the US) is not sold in Europe. The new 06 Civic coupe will neither been solded there. We have a Civic Type-R model, however, this one cannot be ordered in the typical Championship-white color.

Honda has been coming on leaps and bounds in the UK. The euro Accord (sedan and estate), Jazz and CRV are very popular models here in London. The diesels are highly regarded and gaining market share. I'm sure the new Civic will be a hit after the very dreary current model. I don't see a lot of FRVs on the road but I expect they will become more popular as the public catch on to the concept of a six seater.

As for other models... Why is it taking sooooo long to get the new Legend over here? Apparently it isn't coming until next year???

I think after the success of the euro Accord, the similarly styled TL would also go down very well over here, perhaps even more so than the forth coming (slightly bland looking) Legend. Likely the biggest problem with the TL would be the UK press ripping it apart because it is front wheel drive. So come on Honda, put SH-AWD in the TL and bring it to the UK to deal out to the 5 series!

I also think the Civic coupe would do well here too as the early nineties ones seem to be plentiful on London roads and now that the new one has finally got some style back...

all the japanese manufactures offer super quick hatchbacks that are not available elsewere. are they just following trend? or is it just because japan is so densely populated that the roads are over crowded. so if anyone is going to make the most of a fast car it has to be infact 'small'

6SPDTL wrote:The introduction of the legend (RL) is also a good step, but I think the real hit would by the introduction of the TL. If you are going to introduce a higher content vehicle it would be great it it were one that outperforms most of the German iron.

Surely you're not talking about the TL outperforming German Iron? The thing that keeps (and has always kept) the TL from besting its Euro competition is the fact that it's not RWD, or at least AWD. There's so much more to competing than just HP numbers.